Lifeline
by Tongues
Summary: At age 15, Naruto let's the demon loose upon Konoha. From the bowels of the Shinigami, Minato realizes his sacrifice has been wasted. Not one to let something like eternal purgatory stop him, he deals with death and must find a way to save his boy, his village and himself from seemingly inevitable doom.


Hello . It has been a long time since I've written anything. I've started reading fanfics again and it got some ideas churning that I'd like to do, but again just as a hobby. I hope you like it. I am mostly going to be using Canon from before shippuuden, but I may also use a chunk of info from some of the more recent chapters. Amazingly, I still read Naruto and I like to write it as well. So, without further ado, here's the first chapter of my new story, lifeline.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Lifeline

"I've been rotting in your stomach for 15 years now, what could possibly be so important that you'd let amuse me even for a moment?"

The Shinigami remained silent. Minato had long since realized that his fate was and could only be endless imprisonment. He'd been within the bowels of the Shinigami for so long he had stopped counting days and started counting years. Then again, even that seemed to be a moot point. Time worked differently within the bowels of the death god. He was doom to spend eternity in boredom, his only company would be those to also perform a self-sacrifice jutsu of his caliber.

For the umpteenth times, Minato admired his surroundings. The room was circular, the walls were black and rose in a domed shape. A total of 7 chairs, studded black and silver, protruded from the walls at equidistant points. They emerged from the wall and at the head of each was a nameplate. One nameplate read 'Namikaze Minato', whereas the rest remained blank. Apart from that, a glossed over circular glass portal was embedded in the center of the floor. For all the time he'd spent there, the glossiness had never faded and he'd seen not but opaque, white nothingness.

Until today… today the opaque surface began to clear until it was almost window-like. A portal to a world he remembered in his mind but no longer in his senses. He didn't know what grass felt like anymore or what food tasted like. At one point, just to try to gain some feeling, he tried to bite a chunk of flesh off of himself. Sadly, he found he was just too… solid.

So he allowed himself to be entertained for the first time in a long, long time. And what he saw suddenly made all that time spent in the Shinigami's stomach feel like a hell of a lot longer.

Through the portal he saw his son… his precious son… consumed by a red aura until he literally radiated hate. He saw the aura expand, greater and greater until it formed the shape of the 9-tailed demon fox, Kyuubi. His boy had released the horror of the demon upon the world again, upon the village and he watched.

The fourth Hokage watched his son release the very being he gave his life to seal and saw the havoc it wreaked as it decimated the village. His boy looked to be no older than 15… barely an adult in his eyes and he had forsaken the one blessing his father could give him: a gift which while it would haunt him, could make him the strongest ninja the world had ever seen; enough power to with a pure heart, become Hokage just like his dad.

Minato stared down at the carnage, then slammed his fists into the mirror. The voice of the Shinigami, just as he remembered it when it took his soul into itself 15 years ago, rang out in the chamber.

**So you see, you gave your life for nothing. That is why you do not summon true power. No matter how you use it, there's no guarantee on results.**

Minato's world crumbled around him and yet, a bit of defiance remained.

"I can fix this. Give me the chance to help my son. Let me help him."

**He is beyond help. What could you do? Do you not see the rage in his eyes? And what place are you in to demand anything. You gave up that right the moment you gave your soul to me.**

"But I must do something. Do you not understand? I don't care about the rage, he is my son and I love him. There must be a reason for all this… no son of mine could do this."

**Ah ah, but it's because he's your son he's like this to begin with. He has lived without love, without a father or mother. As your son, he could never be taken in. It could never be known to anyone whom his parents were. As you thought yourself in your final moments, he was on his own.**

"I… I do remember that. But there was Sarutobi to take care of him! And Jiraiya! I'm sure they wouldn't let down my son, their godson"

**You would be so sure. Take a look**.

The portal began to flicker. Minato felt the peculiar slow of time, until it seemed to stand still. Only the portal moved, for within it he would watch his son.

Naruto was shunned. He was a plague of the village. They beat him, punished him, hurt him simply for existing. He was no hero, he was just a reminder of their pain and it would be better if he was dead. But Naruto was not one to give up so easily. He didn't know why no one liked him, although it likely had something to do with his birthday being on the same day as the Kyuubi attack. That's why they called him Kyuubi brat, and demon. That and the whiskers, those were awful conspicuous.

But he put up a façade. He was happy, in his broken apartment. He was happy when he got to eat ramen with Iruka or old-man Hokage. The villagers at times were only background noise but he knew he would prove to them he was worthy of respect. Someday they would like him!

Time passed and he learned what was truly inside him. Mizuki made it quite clear, but he still had his precious people. Haku ensured he would love them and treasure them. His team, Seven, was worth preserving and save for the failed rescue mission of Sasuke-teme, he loved it. And while he wouldn't admit it, he missed the bastard.

He took a chidori through the lung for him and yet he still just wanted to bring him back. That was the true strength of friendship. He would bring him back for her, the love of his life, his Sakura-chan.

And then Jiraiya came into his life, completely. The old man taught him so much about his life. He showed him how to use his demon's strength without hurting himself, and when he had finally grown up enough to defend himself from the threats of the world, Jiraiya brought him home.

And it was good to be home… until the incident. He came home to find that he had none. His apartment was trashed, Sakura wouldn't say a word to him. The other ninjas had all felt the demonic presence in him. As soon as he had left the village, the old advisor Danzo had spread the news of the demon vessel to the younger generation. The was an uproar, as only a few of the rookie 9 even took Naruto's side. Those people weren;t even there when Naruto arrived.

The incident. The breaking point. 

Naruto had come home to see that his home which he'd always thought to be a place of kindness, if not for him, was actually all one big prank. And it was orchestrated by the people he'd come to trust the most. Tsunade took away the necklace she'd given him. There was not a single tear of sadness as she took it away. At the front gates she simply walked up to him, took it off his neck and walked away. He moved to follow but Jiraiya blocked his path. He put his hand on Naruto's head as a soothing gesture and the boy relaxed. The sage took that moment to ram his hand into the boy's stomach. The seal became disrupted. A flood of memories returned and the boy's mindscape changed drastically. All the hate he'd repressed, all the fear and anger towards his village flooded his mind. Jiraiya smirked and shunshined away.

The rage was mind boggling. And in that moment, Naruto lost control and released the demon upon the village.

"But… it doesn't add up. Why would Tsunade suddenly do that? What would Jiraiya gain by doing this to his own village?"

**I believe one of your students summed it up best… look underneath the underneath.**

Minato looked down at the events unfolding once more. He'd watch his whole boy's life in flashes up to this point, once again and suddenly something clicked. The portal, which was now following his command, rewound to the moment Jiraiya's hand struck. The way he struck… it was just so different from how he remembered his master. He'd coiled up his arm like a snake…

Orochimaru. His sensei's teammate had done it, and he'd destroyed the village he hated by abusing his son. Minato tensed with rage.

"You can't let this happen! I gave my life to seal the demon away, and you let it escape like this?!"

The walls moved, as though the Shinigami was chuckling. He was in the god's bowels after all.

**And what would you have me do?**

"Give me a chance to make this right! I'm stuck in here to prevent that demon from ever getting out. You would deny me my duty? The one task to which I gave my soul?"

**And it was foolish to do so.**

Minato pondered for a moment. On one hand, he didn't really know what he was asking for. On the other, this was the longest conversation he'd managed to sustain with the Shinigami since he got there. Perhaps the God was leading up to something.

"I realize my foolishness, but it was to save my village. If I could give my soul again for my son, for my village I would in a heartbeat."

**Would you now?**

"I would give my soul a thousand times over. Please, let me save my son, let me save my village"

**Well which is it? What is your priority? If it was to your son, you'd never have sealed the demon and you wouldn't be here. If it's your village, then your decision was correct the first time and you needn't worry, for the outcome was apparently inevitable.**

_For a master of time and space, he sure is arrogant about it_. "My priorities are to both, my son and my village."

**Ah, a confused soul this long departed. Are you in the mood for a game? I may be able to help you make up your mind.**

"What game is that exactly?"

**Why it's quite simple, you're going to choose which is more important to you. I will reverse time to the point at which you sacrificed yourself. From then on, you will have 5 chances to interact with the timeline and make a change you are capable of making, had you been alive to 'fulfill your purpose'. When your boy reaches this point in time, you will have to choose, your son or your village. Whichever one you don't pick will rot in my bowels for all eternity. After all, it would be unlike me to let an offered soul regret their decision, or escape without proper payment.**

"And what will happen to me?"

**Why my dear Minato, if you choose to change anything at all, it means you made a mistake in summoning me to begin with. I won't keep a half hearted soul, you'll be free to go.**

"I could live with my son, live out our lives together?"

**Oh yes, but your village would be empty. And if you choose your village, I will feast on your son. And should you choose not to act, we will simply watch the events unfold once more, just as they have. An elegant play before us where we know, in the end, destruction is assured.**

"I'll take it. I'll take your deal. Five chances right? You guarantee I'll have 5 chances to change this all for the better?"

**I am a God, you can hold me to my word.**

"Then I have one more question… Is there any way all of us, myself, Naruto and the villagers, be spared?"

**There is.**

Minato waited in silence for the God to continue, but the God never spoke on.

"Well?"

**There is, but you won't be able to do it. **

"Just you watch me."

**Oh, I will**

And with that, the portal in the middle of the room opened. A blinding light filled the room and Minato closed his eyes to protect them.

Minato looked around at the carnage. A battle surged around him, as giant red claws of energy rained down upon the battlefield. This place looked so familiar. Suddenly a rogue shuriken flew right at him. He moved to grab it out of the air and yell at whoever threw it, but the thin metal star went right through his hand as though he wasn't even there.

He looked at himself, and noticed a kind of clearness to his body. He was dressed as he always was, a jounin vest, blue long sleeve shirt, blue pants and his long yellow hair as perfect as it was 15 years prior (or well.. now if he thought about it.)

_Great. I can't touch anything. How am I going to change anything like this?_

The voice of the Shinigami rang out from the back of his mind.

**Ah, already so eager. You definitely don't want to be trapped within my stomach anymore, eh? When you feel like you need to change something, simply reach out to me. I will stop time and allow you to do what you must. Remember, a mere 5 chances.**

_He's right. Wait, then I can't change anything as I am now?_

Minato saw some red energy streaking toward an unaware chuunin. The Yellow flash pushed his ethereal muscles to the limit and dashed before the ninja, only to see the red claw cut straight through him. The nin died instantly, but he did see a ghastly ethereal form take shape. A face formed and the nin looked at him in panic. Minato pointed up at the real 'him' riding Gamabunta into battle and the ghost's mouth formed an 'o' of understanding. It seemed as though he knew what was going on. That's interesting.

Minato looked at the sealing process and decided there was nothing he could do at this point in time to fix anything, so he spent his time adjusting to his new form. Every time a new nin died, he would wave to them or offer a sympathetic look. The ghostly apparitions would fly away facing away from him but content that their leader was doing something right.

The sealing occurred in the brightest flash of light, and Minato turned to see himself in awe as his body fell. He saw no ethereal ghost appear from his body. Instead, he saw a wispy trail that led from where he lay atop Gamabunta all the way down to where he was floating just above the ground.

_I guess it's true. Just one shot to fix this. But how to start?_


End file.
